Canada Post to remain open in Assiniboia, but with reduced hours and added safety measures

The Canada Post location in Assiniboia has remained opened so far during the pandemic, however the hours of operations have been reduced from 9:30-3:30 on Monday to Friday.

The Canada Post location in Assiniboia has remained opened so far during the pandemic, however the hours of operations have been reduced from 9:30-3:30 on Monday to Friday. In similarity to other businesses in town, the opening hours from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the post office are reserved for seniors aged 60 and over – this time has also been retained for people with disabilities.

People are not permitted to enter the post office if they’ve travelled outside of Canada, including the United States, within the past 14 days. If a potential customer has been in contact with someone with COVID-19, they are also barred from entering. Further, if anyone has problems breathing, coughing, or if they have a fever, they are not allowed to come inside the building.

If either the service area or the lobby are crowded, customers are asked to wait outside.

At present, only two people at a time are allowed to enter the service area for mail deliveries, or to receive parcels. Each customer must keep a two-metre distance from other clients in the service area – there are red circles on the floor indicating where customers should stand as they wait to be served at the counter. Additionally, non-contact payment methods such as debit and credit cards are preferred.

Lobby box customers are also asked to respect social distancing at all times. Box customers are further requested not to loiter inside lobby after collecting their mail.

Jan Simpson – the national president of the CUPW – wanted postal workers to remain safe and healthy during this crisis. “Public social distancing practices, hand washing, avoiding face touching and coughing and sneezing into your sleeve are the best ways to protect yourself and prevent spreading the virus to others. By continuing our very important work, we are doing our part in helping our society getting through this crisis and helping to flatten the curve of infection,” Simpson stated.

Simpson also recognized the severity of the current situation for postal workers, where the circumstances associated with the pandemic are constantly altering on a daily basis. She congratulated them for being dedicated to providing an essential service. “Nobody prepared us for this. We're dealing with our own anxiety, with an unsettled public in quickly-changing conditions and we've been continuing the work that we're proud to do and we wish to thank every single one of you for this.”

Doug Ettinger – president and CEO of Canada Post – wanted to reassure the public about the Crown corporation’s unceasing commitment to those who are using the nation’s mail service during the COVID-19 emergency.

“We are doing everything possible to maintain the services you rely on, while keeping people safe. This situation will continue to evolve and we want you to know you can count on us to do our very best. I also hope that something as simple as seeing a Canada Post truck or a letter carrier walking in your neighbourhood provides some reassurance that you continue to be connected to all Canadians.”